Senior Enlisted Summit participants from across the globe take part in small group discussions. (Air Force photo/Chris Baldwin)

CMSAF, senior enlisted leaders gather for annual summit

by Christopher Kratzer
Air University Public Affairs

8/12/2011 - MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The Air Force's top enlisted leader, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy, convened the 2011 Senior Enlisted Summit last week at Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, with about 400 senior enlisted leaders attending.

With the theme "Deliberately developing Airmen for the future," the summit gave senior enlisted leaders insight into how they can develop Airmen in an ever-changing environment.

"The theme of the conference really sums up the actual outputs," Roy said. "We've got to make sure our Airmen are on target for what the future holds. The fact is our force is as small as it has ever been, and we have to make sure we have this right," he said. "We have to make sure we have the right person -- at the right place and at the right time -- with the right qualifications. The only way to do that is to deliberately develop our Airmen."

The summit allows Air Force leadership to communicate ideas with senior enlisted leaders but also fosters new ideas through working groups during the conference.
"I think there are new ideas that come out of this," Roy said. "It makes people think outside of their box and break down some of those paradigms. That's what it's going to take in the future. We've got to make sure that we are not fencing things in."
The summit also focused on working alongside 24 coalition partners represented at the summit, according to Roy.

"The very first day of the summit was focused primarily on our coalition partners," he said. "They were able to learn from each other. It wasn't just a briefing, it was a working group, and I think the outcome that has been shared with me is that they absolutely appreciated it. They see where their challenges lay, and they certainly see where their successes lay."

With the challenges facing enlisted Airmen, this conference is critical for senior enlisted leaders to learn to develop the force, he noted.

"The challenges that lie ahead are, quite frankly, unknown. We have to make sure our Airmen are prepared for the challenges we do know," Roy said. "The challenges we do know are that there are going to be some resource constraints, and technology continues to advance at a pace far beyond our expectations. We have to make sure our Airmen are absolutely ready for those challenges that lie ahead."
Even though there are severe budgetary issues facing the nation, Roy said he was confident in the Air Force's ability to overcome those challenges.
"We are the best Air Force in the world, and we are going to continue to be that Air Force."